emulation

According to Gizmodo, SEGA is ready to release an iPhone/iPod Touch app called “Ultimate Genesis” which is, for all intents and purposes, a SEGA-exclusive virtual console for the iPhone. The app itself should be making its appearance on the app store in early February while being packaged with one game – Space Harrier II. It will be a free download where users will purchase what will basically be Genesis ROMs within the app to add to their collection. The offerings that should be available from day one are:

Sonic the Hedgehog: $5.99

Golden Axe: $4.99

Ecco the Dolphin: $2.99

Shining Force: $2.99

As you can see, different games will be available at different price points for the time being. It should be noted that both Sonic and Golden Axe are already available in the App Store at those price points where as Ecco and Shining Force are not. SEGA may be pricing Sonic and Golden Axe simply to be consistent with the versions available in the app store while $2.99 may be the standard price for most games from here on. It is unknown if those who purchased Sonic or Golden Axe stand alone will be able to transfer those games to Ultimate Genesis when it’s released.

Take this with a grain of salt, but an interesting little document popped up on Sega’s PR site that mentions quite a few details that the two companies are in discussion about. These include:

-PS2 emulator on PS3, the document citing games such as GTA Vice City and an unknown Sonic title.
-Consideration of import titles on PSN, menus translated. Yakuza was brought up as an example of a game.
-Sonic All Star Racing is open to DLC characters to differentiate the PS3 SKU. Not Ratchet and Clank, but others are likely.
-Sonic Anniversary is a proposed project that would put a ton of Sonic games on one blu-ray. SCEA would love exclusive power-ups and different game modes.
-Dreamcast digital title support. While not exclusive to the PSN, the proposal is Sony can pick which titles it wants more, with long exclusivity meaning more marketing support for Sega.